Switch for controlling operation of gaseous discharge lamps



B. K. NASTER oct. s, 1943.

SWITCH FORQCONTROLLING OPERATION OF GASEOUS DISCHARGE LAMPS Filed Jan.27, 1941 Patented Oct.' 5, 1943 .v

SWITCH FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF GASEOUS DISCHARGE LAMPS Bert K.Naster, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 27, 1941, Serial No. 376,070

(Cl. ZOO-6) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a switch and more particularly to a switch forcontrolling the opera-v tion of gaseous discharge lamps.

In gaseous discharge lamps, an electric current is passed through agaseous medium between the electrodes of the lamp. In order to set suchlamps in operation, it is necessary to ionize the gas therein so that itwill conduct the current. Various methods have been used to cause thegas to be ionized, among them being the heating of the electrodes of thelamp.- In such gaseous discharge lamps, the electrodes consist offilaments which may be heated by the passage of current` therethrough.

One feature of the invention is toprovide means for passing a currentthrough the filamentary velectrodes of the lamp when the lamp is to beset in operation. Another feature is to provide a single source ofelectrical energy from which the current passes through the filaments ofthe electrodesY until the gas is ionized and will conduct the current,and'from which the current thereafter passes between `the electrodes.Another feature of the invention is to provide a switch in which asingle movement of a .plunger serves to cause the current to flowmomentarily through the filaments of the electrodes and thereafterthrough the lamp between the electrodes. Still another feature is toprovide in a switch a plunger which is movable from normal position toadvanced position to cause the current to pass through the filaments ofthe electrodes and then through the lamp, the switch being also providedwith means for continuously urging the plunger toward normal position.

Other features and advantages will appear from the'speciflcation anddrawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the circuit used; Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view of the switch, the view being taken alongthe line 2--2 of Fig. 4; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar .tothe view of Fig. 2, showing the plunger in the switch of Fig. 2; Fig. 5is a perspective view', of the v,

, plunger and the other elements which are associated with the plungerin the switch casing;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the switch taken along the line6-6 of Fig. 2; Fig. 'l is a fragmentary perspective view of the switchcasing; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the contact ywhich is connectedto the lamp electrode; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the contact which is used in momentarilypassing a current through a suitable source of electrical energy (notshown) The current flowing through the wire II passes through theelectrical connections I2 and I3 which are joined by the member I4, andthen through a conventional choke coil I to the filament I6 of thegaseous discharge member I1.

Before the gas in the lamp I1 isionized, the current flows from thefilament I6 to the connectiony I8 through the contact member I9 andconnection to and through the other filament 2l of the lamp Il. Afterthe gas within the lamp I1 is ionized, the current passes directlythrough the lamp from the filament I6 to the filament 2|. The lamp isshown in Fig. 1 with the current passing in this manner and with themember I9 out of contact with the connections I8 and 20.

As seen particularly in Fig. 2, the switch 22 includes a casing 23preferably of insulating material such as a plastic or hard rubber. Asuitable closure member 24 may be provided for the casing. The closuremember is held in position on the casing by a metal clip 25 (Fig. 6);'I'he metal clip in turn supports a sleeve 26-which is provided withthreads on the outside surface thereof and which threadedly engages thecollars 21 and 28. A plunger 29 of a suitable insulating material isslidably received within the sleeve 26.

The pair of electrical contact members or connections I8 and 20 aredisposed on opposite sides of the casing. These contact members, as seenparticularly in Fig. 9, include a vertical plate 32 centrally aperturedto receive a U-shaped spring clip 33. Recesses 34 and 35 are provided inthe upper portion of the plate to receive the Wires carrying thecurrent.

Referring lparticularly to Figs. 5 and 6,v the lower portion of thecasing receives a conductor plate or rotor 35 which in turn supports aratchet plate 36, the ratchet 36 being adapted to drive the rotor 35 ina single direction in a step-by-step motion of a quarter revolution ateach step. The ratchet plate 36 is made of a non-conducting material. Aspiral blade 31 is supported by the plate 36, the end of the blade 31being received within the slot 38 in the plate 36. A Contact member 39,secured to the lower` portion of the plunger 29, is provided` with aslot 40 within which the upper end of the blade 3l is received. A spring4| is disposed within .the plunger 29, resting on the member 39.

Electrical connections or contacts I2 and' I3 are arranged within thecasing and are adapted to be engaged by the rotor when' in properposition. These contacts receive the lead in Wires from the maincircuit.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the contacts I8 and 2li receive the wires 44and v45, while the contacts I2 and I3 receive the wires 46 and 4l.

'I'he casing 23 (Fig. 7) is provided with suitable grooves 48, 49. and50 for receiving the wires entering the same.

When the plunger is advanced to lower position, the contacts I8 and 20are engaged by the member 39 tc join the contacts and close the circuitof these connections. At the same time, the advancing of the plungercauses the spiral blade 31 to be turned and the plate 36 to be rotated.This produced rotation of the rotor,35 and causes the rotor to changeposition and open or close the circuit Aof the contacts I2 and I3.

The two pairs of contacts I8 and 20 and I 2 and I3 thus act as circuitbreakers. The contacts I8 and 2U are joined by the member 39 to closethe circuit, and the contacts I2 and I3 are joined by the rotor 35 forthe same purpose. The contacts I8 and 20 are arranged in parallel withthe circuit of the lamp I1, s that current may pass through the lamp bypassing between the electrodes thereof without passing through thecontacts I8 and 2Q. These contacts, therefore, need to be closed onlymomentarily when it is desired to set the lamp into operation. Thecontacts I2 and I3, on the other hand, are arranged in series with thelamp so that the lamp may operate only when these contacts are joined.

When it is desired to set the lamp in operation, the plunger is moved toadvanced position by manually pressing it downwardly, and the member 39,by engaging the contacts I8 and 20, closes the circuit of thesecontacts. At the same time, the turning of the rotor 35 caused by therotation of-the blade 31 and plate 36 joins the contacts I2 and I3 andcloses the circuit thereof. The current now iiows across the contacts I2and I3 through the filament I6, then across the contacts I8 and 20 andthrough the inament 2|. The laments I6 and 2l are heated and the gaswithin the lamp ionized.

The current then begins to pass through the lamp between the electrodesI6 and 2|, lighting the lamp. As soon asthe plunger is released, thespring 4I urges it upwardly and the contacts I8 and 20 are separated toopen the circuit thereof. The rotor 35 remains in a position ofengagement with the contacts I2 and I3, maintaining the circuit thereofclosed and permitting the current to pass through the lamp.

When it is desired to shut oi the lamp, the plunger is again depressed,and the rotation of the blade 31, plate 36 and rotor 35 causes thecontacts I2 and I3 to again be separated, thus opening the circuit ofthe lamp.

Whenever the plunger is depressed, the circuit of the contacts I8 and 20is closed. This circuit is opened as soon as the plunger is released andrises to normal position. 'I'he moving of the plunger to advancedposition also causes the contacts I2 and I3 to be alternatingly joinedand separated. The return of the plunger to normal position has noeffect upon-this movement. Thus if the rotor is in position where itdoes not engage the contacts I2 and I3, the depressing of the plungerwill cause these contacts to be joined. The next time that the plungeris depressed the contacts will be separated.

In operating a gaseous discharge lamp with this type of snap-on switch,it is necessary only to depress the plunger momentarily to set the lampin operation. When the lamp is to be shut 01T, the same motion of theplunger serves to produce this result.

While there are shown and described certain embodiments of theinvention, it is to be understood that it is capable of manymodifications.

Changesjtherefore, in the construction and arrangement may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdisclosed in the appended claims, in which it is intended to claim allnovelty inherent in the invention as broadly as permissible, in View ofthe prior art.

Iclaim:

1. A switch for controlling the operation of gaseous discharge lamps andthe like, comprising a casing having a longitudinal recess therein, apair of contact members disposed on the sides of said recess andextending thereinto in spaced relation, said members providing a closedcircuit when connected in electrically-conducting relation, a plungermounted in said casing for longitudinal movement within the recesstherein, means carried by said plunger for engaging said members andbringing the same into electricallyconducting relation to close saidcircuit, said members beim,- yieldable to permit the plunger to passlongitudinally therebeyond within the recess while the circuit remainsclosed, a pair of electrical connections in said casing providing anopen circuit when separated, a contact rotor rotatably mounted on saidcasing for step-bystep rotation therein, said rotor in successive stepsof rotation being brought alternately to a position of engagement withsaid connections wherein said last-mentioned circuit is closed and aposition of non-engagement with said connections wherein saidlast-mentioned circuit is open, said rotor being arranged in driverelation with said plunger wherebymanual longitudinal movement of theplunger to advanced position within said recess rotates said rotor tomove.l the same from one to another of said positions, and spring meansfor urging said plunger from advanced position to normal position.

2. A switch for controlling the operation of gaseous discharge lamps andthe like, comprising a casing having a longitudinal recess therein, apair of spring contact members disposed on opposite sides of anintermediate longitudinal portion of said recess and extending thereintoin spaced relation, said contact members being yieldable along thelength of the recess when pressure is applied thereto, said membersproviding a closed circuit when connected in electrically-conductingrelation, a plunger mounted in said casing for longitudinal movementwithin. the recess therein, means carried by said plunger' for engagingsaid members and bringing the same into electrically-conducting relationto close said circuit, the yieldability of said members permitting theplunger to advance longitudinally Within the recess beyond the normalposition of the members while said circuit remains closed, a pair ofelectrical connections in said casing providing an open circuit whenseparated, a contact rotor rotatably mounted in said casing forstepby-step rotation therein, said contact member in successive steps ofrotation being brought alternately to a position of engagement with saidconnections wherein said last-mentioned circuit is closed and a positionof non-engagement with said connections wherein said last-mentionedcircuit is open, a spiral blade for causing rotation of said rotor, saidplunger being provided with a slot receiving said spiral blade wherebyreciprocating movement of the plunger imparts rotation to the blade androtor, said plunger being manually movable to advanced position to movethe rotor from one to the other of said positions, and spring means forurging a plunger from advanced position to normal position.

' BERT K. NASTER.

